Tenfold Faces Strong Field In Defense Of Pimlico Special Title On Friday

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Tenfold, who has enjoyed some of his finest career moments at Pimlico Race Course, will get the chance once again to display his affinity for the when he returns to the Baltimore, Md., track to defend his title in the historic $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) Friday, Oct. 2.

The 50th running of the Pimlico Special for 3-year-olds and up, back to its original distance of 1 3/16 miles after being contested at 1 1/4 miles for the first time last year, is the headliner on a 10-race program that also serves as a preview for the Claiming Crown, offering winners an automatic berth to the main event Dec. 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Friday also marks the midpoint of a spectacular three-day Preakness weekend lineup that boasts 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses featuring the 145th Preakness (G1) Saturday, Oct. 3. First race post time Friday is 12:40 p.m.

A 5-year-old homebred son of two-time Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Curlin out of the Tapit mare Temptress, Tenfold can become only the second two-time winner of the Pimlico Special following the Hall of Famer Challedon, who captured back-to-back editions in 1939 and 1940.

“The race goes back decades. It's one of the most renowned races in Maryland and it was a big deal to win it last year,” Winchell racing manager David Fiske said. “We're feeling pretty good. For one reason or another, he seems to put out some of his best efforts at Pimlico.”

Tenfold came from far back to split horses in the stretch and get up by a neck in last year's Pimlico Special over favored You're To Blame, with Cordmaker another neck back in third. Tenfold was on the other side of that decision in his only other trip to Baltimore when he was third, beaten a half-length and a neck respectively by Justify and Bravazo in the fog-shrouded 2018 Preakness.

“The Preakness in the fog was one of the most exciting races I've ever witnessed,” Fiske said. “The fog added another layer of suspense, and to be that close to a Triple Crown winner. I don't think he was beaten more than a length.”

Tenfold found himself trailing all but one horse in his most recent effort, the 1 1/8-mile Charles Town Classic (G2) Aug. 28, before rallying late to be fourth and just missing third by a neck to Runnin'toluvya.

“He doesn't tend to be all that forwardly placed anymore. His first couple races he went almost wire to wire, but at Charles Town he was just too far back and you had to be pretty close to the lead,” Fiske said. “It seemed to be favoring speedier horses that night. But, you pay your money and you take your chances.”

Tenfold has won four races and more than $1.1 million in purse earnings from 19 starts, his other graded victory coming in the 2018 Jim Dandy (G2). In addition to the Preakness, he ran third in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) in June and the New Orleans Classic (G2) in March.

“He worked well the other day and he's been training well. He's a big, pretty horse that's sound and always seems to be knocking on the door,” Fiske said. “He always shows up. He always kind of teases us a little bit. He'll train well or he'll run a really nice race and then he doesn't back that up. But, he keeps trying. We've had some interest of late from stallion farms since he's a Curlin and out of Tapit mare and he's a big, pretty thing that is sound and durable.”

Joe Bravo is named to ride Tenfold from Post 5 in a field of nine.

Another multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire that ran third in the Preakness and returning for the Pimlico Special is Rupp Racing's Owendale. The 4-year-old Into Mischief colt was beaten a nose for second behind War of Will last spring, but has won three stakes since – the Ohio (G3) and Oklahoma (G3) derbies last year and the one-mile Blame May 23. He exits a runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba (G2) Sept. 4 and will have Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard from Post 8.

Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker could be rounding into form just in time for another try at the Pimlico Special. Based at Laurel Park with trainer Rodney Jenkins and bred in Maryland by trainer Katy Voss and the late Bob Manfuso, the 5-year-old Curlin gelding had his season opener delayed until July 5 and ran fifth in his first three starts, all allowances, the latter two at seven furlongs. Last out, he was a willing third to Harpers First Ride in the 1 1/16-mile Deputed Testamony Sept. 5 at Laurel. Victor Carrasco returns to ride from Post 1.

MCA Racing Stable's Harper's First Ride will be making his second foray into graded competition in the Pimlico Special, having had a two-race win streak snapped when he was fifth in the 1 1/8-mile Monmouth Cup (G3) July 18. Since then he closed to be second in an open allowance in the Parx mud Aug. 12 and was a popular 3 ¼-length winner of the Deputed Testamony, his seventh career win and first in a stakes.

“He came out of the last race good and he's doing good. I was impressed with his last race. He beat a really nice horse in Cordmaker. He's run with good horses before, too, and it hasn't been easy for him but he does good,” trainer Claudio Gonzalez said. “All the time this horse shows me he can improve little by little and can get better and better. I believe he can run longer than the mile. It all depends if he has a good trip. He likes to run one way. He has one pace, that's why it's very important the trip we have with him. It doesn't matter where you put him, if he's in the clear he's going to make it.”

Angel Cruz, up for each of Harpers First Ride's last two wins, gets the return call from outside Post 9.

Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables and Gary Aisquith's Monongahela, a Grade 3 winner of more than $500,000 in purses, is entered to make his second start since joining Laurel trainer Brittany Russell. Winless in five tries since taking the 1 1/16-mile Swatara for Pennsylvania-breds last fall, the 6-year-old gelding ran last of four in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Aug. 20 at Delaware Park.

“He's awesome. When we ran at Delaware I thought, 'Let's just run him because it might be a softer spot and a spot to pick his head up,'” Russell said. “I probably didn't train on him enough and long enough to really know what we had. Then he kind of ran a clunker so we kind of scratched our heads afterward. I tweaked his training routine a bit after that and he seems like he's responding. He's doing really well so I figured we'd go in and take a look.”

Russell's husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, was still recovering from a broken wrist when Monongahela last ran, but will be in the irons from Post 2. The trainer hoping their familiarity from the mornings will prove advantageous.

“There was a getting to know him period and I think we did that. He's certainly classy and he just kind of does what he has to do in the morning,” Brittany Russell said. “Then it was sort of letting the rider get to know him, which is where Sheldon comes in, so I'm hoping he might be the magic formula. He's worked him quite a few times and has kind of got him figured out. I don't know if that can translate to the afternoon, but I feel better if Sheldon's on him so at least we can get a line on where we are.”

Main Line Racing Stable and Alexandria Stable's Someday Jones is a 7-year-old son of 2004 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness winner Smarty Jones with 11 career wins, three in stakes, including the 1 1/8-mile Native Dancer last December at Laurel. Beaten twice Laurel stakes over the winter before the coronavirus break, Someday Jones won his July 6 return at Delaware and was second in the 1 1/16-mile Storm Cat Sept. 7 at Parx.

“His first race back at Delaware was good. He was probably about 75 percent and he won, and I think he's gone forward since then,” trainer John Servis said. “The last race just didn't set up for him. The winner just got loose on the lead and really controlled the pace, and he made a nice run at him through the stretch and just couldn't make up any ground on him. He's coming into this race really good.”

Servis, who also trained Smarty Jones, lined up Trevor McCarthy to ride Someday Jones, a winner of nearly $650,000 in lifetime purses that has been third or better in 20 of 29 starts. They will break from Post 4.

“He is a war horse. I had one of the owners send me his Thoro-Graph sheet for the last three, four years and he has just been the model of consistency. It's unbelievable how consistent his numbers are,” Servis said. “It'd be something to have a barn full like that. He's a special horse. And he's a barn favorite. Everybody loves him.”

Plus Que Parfait, winless since taking the UAE Derby (G2) last March but most recently second in the Charles Town Derby, and multiple stakes winners Clubman, seventh in last year's Pimlico Special, and Forewarned, seventh at Charles Town, complete the field.

The Pimlico Special was created in 1937 by Alfred Vanderbilt, the master of Sagamore Farm, as the first major stakes in the United States set up as an invitational, and was won by Triple Crown champion War Admiral. The following year, he was upset by Seabiscuit in what Sports Illustrated called the “Race of the Century.”

Revived in 1988 by the late Maryland Jockey Club president Frank De Francis, the Special's illustrious roster of winners includes Triple Crown winners Whirlaway, Citation and Assault and modern-day Horses of the Year Criminal Type, Cigar, Skip Away, Mineshaft and Invasor.

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Wild About Star Set To Defend Title In The Very One Stakes

Brittlyn Stable, Inc.'s Wild About Star, winless in her only two starts this year, looks to get back on the winning track in a familiar spot when she returns to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Thursday to defend her title in the $100,000 The Very One.

Wild About Star, a 6-year-old daughter of multiple stakes winner Star Guitar, sprung a mild upset in last year's The Very One by 1 3/4 lengths over Jo Jo Air, who is the only other returnee from 2019. Five of her six career wins have come on the grass but she has not raced on the surface since last summer after her two starts this year were rained off.

Fifth in the Incredible Revenge Stakes at Monmouth Park following her Pimlico score, Wild About Star didn't return until running fifth to The Very One foe Mr. Al's Gal in an optional claiming allowance July 23 at Delaware Park. Most recently she tired to third after chasing the pace in a similar spot Aug. 20, also at Delaware.

“After the last race she ran at Monmouth, the owner and I decided to give her time off and see how she's doing and we decided to bring her back,” trainer Jose Camejo said. “She ran two races on the dirt because they came off the turf and now she's doing really good. We'll see if we can get lucky a second time and win again.

“I feel good about her. She's much better than she was before,” he added. “She's in the right shape right now, she looks really good and she's doing very well. I think we've got a good chance.”

Alex Cintron rides Wild About Star, the 124-pound co-topweight, from Post 5 in a field of 16 that includes main-track-only entrant Never Enough Time and also-eligible Philipine Cobra.

Among the challengers to Wild About Star will be Lael Stables' Chalon, a seven-time stakes winner less than $9,000 away from $1 million in career earnings who is entered to make her turf debut. The 6-year-old Dialed In mare has raced once previously at Pimlico taking last year's Skipat, contested at six furlongs on the main track.

Chalon opened her season finishing off the board in the 6  1/2-furlong Vagrancy (G3) June 27 at Belmont Park, her first start in nearly nine months. She followed up by registering back-to-back wins in the Dashing Beauty at Monmouth and Incredible Revenge Aug. 16 at Monmouth, a race that was originally carded for the turf.

In her last start, Chalon stumbled out of the gate and chased the pace before getting up to be second behind Never Enough Time in the six-furlong Alma North Sept. 7 at Laurel Park. She drew Post 14 with Trevor McCarthy up.

Chalon's stablemate, Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's Ode to Joy, is also entered with Sheldon Russell named to ride from Post 7. Ode to Joy, a 5-year-old daughter of Grade 1 turf winner Artie Schiller, was fourth to Chalon in the Incredible Revenge and has never won a stakes, also finishing fourth in the Feb. 22 Lightning City.

Wesley Ward-trained Jo Jo Air has won twice in five starts since coming up short in last year's The Very One, an optional claiming allowance last December at Gulfstream Park and the five-furlong Daisycutter Handicap July 24 on the Del Mar turf, her most recent race. Paco Lopez has the call from Post 8.

LC Racing's Captain Sam has respectively finished fourth and fifth in two stakes attempts, the 2018 and 2019 Power by Far at Parx, both times rained off the turf to the main track. The 5-year-old mare comes in off a 2 ¼-length optional claiming allowance win as the favorite sprinting five furlongs at Penn National, her first win in four tries on grass.

“She goes either way. If it rains off she loves the slop, too,” trainer Robert E. 'Butch' Reid Jr. said. “The main thing with her is the distance. She can't really get much past five-eighths so you have to run in those races when you have the opportunity. She's had two or three breezes that have been real nice so we'll go ahead and take a shot.”

Sophomores Foolish Humor, Giggling and Hear My Prayer and older horses A Great Time, Dendrobia, Tracy Ann's Legacy, Peaceful and Not In Jeopardy round out the field.

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Completed Pass Seeking Jim McKay Turf Sprint Repeat

More than a year since becoming a stakes winner last spring over the same track, Robert D. Bone's Completed Pass returns to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., with sights set on a repeat victory in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint Thursday, Oct. 1.

The 15th running of the McKay for 3-year-olds and up and the 21st renewal of the $100,000 The Very One for fillies and mares 3 and older, both sprinting five furlongs on turf, join the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) in opening a spectacular Preakness weekend of 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses featuring the 145th Preakness (G1) Saturday, Oct. 3.

Post time for the first of 10 races Thursday is 12:40 p.m.

Completed Pass joined trainer Claudio Gonzalez's string for the 2019 season and promptly won three of his first four starts for the new connections including a one-length victory as the favorite in last year's McKay over Tempt Me Twice, who also returns Thursday.

Gonzalez is confident that familiarity with the track as one of just three horses in the field of 10 to have run at Pimlico, along with Tempt Me Twice and 2019 allowance winner Love You Much, will serve to benefit Completed Pass.

“It helps that he raced there last year because he knows the track already and especially good because he won,” Gonzalez said. “It would be really nice if he could win it again. He's doing really good. I believe he's doing the best he ever has.”

Completed Pass enters the McKay off an effort in the 5 1/2-furlong Laurel Dash Sept. 7 where he clipped heels at the five-sixteenths pole and nearly went down but recovered quickly and went on to a three-quarter-length win under Angel Cruz, who returns to ride from Post 6.

“Last time was a big race because when stumbled I was like, 'Yikes,'” Gonzalez said. “In that one second, you think of a lot but to come back and win the race was amazing. Not just any horse can do that. They need to have a big heart.”

Lynch Racing's Francatelli has put together three straight front-running victories including an Aug. 15 off-the-turf allowance at Laurel and the five-furlong King Corrie Stakes Sept. 12 on the Woodbine turf. Based at Laurel, the 3-year-old City Zip gelding went unraced at 2 and debuted running second June 5 over his home course.

Joe Bravo has the call on Francatelli from outside Post 10.

Altamira Racing Stable, Rafter JR Ranch, STD Racing Stable and A. Miller's well-traveled Texas Wedge, winner of the Joe Hernandez (G2) at Santa Anita and World of Trouble Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park in January, has since run third in the Jaipur (G1) at Belmont Park and 10th last out in the Shakertown (G2) July 11 at Keeneland. Paco Lopez rides for trainer Peter Miller.

Texas Wedge will carry topweight of 125 pounds including jockey Paco Lopez from Post 2.

Michael Hui, Hooties Racing and WSS Racing's 7-year-old gelding Tiger Blood, trained by Mike Maker, owns 19 wins from 49 lifetime starts and goes after his third career stakes victory and first since April 2017 in the McKay. In his last race, he was beaten only four lengths when ninth in the Turf Sprint (G3) Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs.

Trevor McCarthy rides Tiger Blood from Post 8.

Love You Much, third in the Laurel Dash, Axtell, Dr. Feelgood, Fair Catch and Hollis complete the field.

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Chick Lang Stakes On Thursday Kicks Off Preakness Weekend At Pimlico

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Double Crown and Euro Stable's Lebda, both two-time stakes winners, are both set to go after their first graded triumph in the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) Thursday, Oct. 1 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

The 45th running of the six-furlong Chick Lang for 3-year-olds helps launch a spectacular Preakness weekend program of 16 stakes, nine graded, worth $3.35 million in purses over three days featuring the 145th running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes (G1) Oct. 3.

Also on Thursday's card are a pair of five-furlong turf sprints for 3-year-olds and up, the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint and $100,000 The Very One for fillies and mares. Post time for the first of 10 races is 12:40 p.m.

Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Rebecca Davis, Double Crown returns to his home state for the first time since breaking his maiden at first asking over Ournationonparade in a six-furlong maiden special weight last September at Laurel Park. Following the race, Dean Reeves purchased both horses and relocated them to South Florida with Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)-winning trainer Kathy Ritvo.

A minor foot issue kept Double Crown away from the races until April, where he overcame traffic trouble caused by Ournationonparade midway through the maiden special weight sprint at Gulfstream Park to get up for second, beaten only a length.

“If he doesn't get bothered by my own horse I think he'd have won that race, too, so he certainly could be undefeated since we got him and before we ran last time,” Reeves said. “He has definitely reaffirmed that I think he's going to be a player as he gets older, and being a gelding he should really strengthen up and be a factor.”

Double Crown reeled off impressive wins in the 6 1/2-furlong Roar and seven-furlong Carry Back this spring at Gulfstream, the latter earning him a short break prior to taking on older horses in the six-furlong Smile Sprint (G3) Sept. 5. He raced in contention along the rail and settled for third, 3 ¾ lengths behind winner Cool Arrow.

“He came out of the last race real good. Obviously it was tough against older horses, but I thought he showed himself well. He put up a good effort, we're just not at those times yet,” Reeves said. “I think he'll get there. We think this race fits him real well. He worked the other day, just a light maintenance work, and he's good to go so we'll take a shot at it.”

Double Crown, a gelded son of Bourbon Courage, has only been favored once in five starts, the Carry Back, going off at 7-1 in debut against his future stablemate, who would go on to win the Maryland Million Nursery.

“He showed a lot of tenacity to get up and win the race at Laurel and he also showed that he could sit a little off the pace. It just looked like a good strong horse and then when I went up to see him after I bought him I was really happy,” Reeves said. “I thought he really had some size and scope to him and was well-muscled. He has certainly done everything we thought he could do at this point.

“This is his first real on the road test. We leave Sunday and we'll get in there on Monday. I think he'll like the track,” he added. “He'll get around there that week and be ready to go Thursday. I'm hopeful that he takes to the track. I think he fits and so does Kathy. We all kicked it around and thought it would be a good spot.”

Gulfstream-based rider Cristian Torres will be in town to ride from Post 6 of 10.

A second-out maiden winner last spring at Laurel Park before running third in the Iroquois (G3) at Aqueduct, Lebda has been well-traveled with 11 starts including four wins, one second and three thirds. He captured the one-mile Miracle Wood and 1 1/16-mile Private Terms at Laurel prior to live racing being paused in Maryland for 2 ½ months amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Lebda has gone winless since his return, finishing sixth in the Ohio Derby (G3) and Haskell (G1) – the latter behind Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic – before the connections cut the 3-year-old colt back to sprints. Last out, he ran third after setting the pace in the seven-furlong Robert Hilton Memorial Aug. 28 at Charles Town.

“I didn't like how the jockey rode him because they went four lengths in front and waited for the others to come and then he started to move,” trainer Claudio Gonzalez said. “[Alex] Cintron is coming back with him and he knows him, so that's going to be better for the horse.

“It's not like he needs the front,” he added. “The only thing I try to tell Alex all the time is to be in the clear. I don't like him to be between horses because when it comes time to run, he has to check. He doesn't like that. I want him to break good and be in the clear.”

Gonzalez said Lebda's future will be sprinting, where he has two wins, a second and two thirds in distances ranging from 4 1/2 to seven furlongs. Cintron and Lebda will break from Post 5.

“He ran in some big races,” Gonzalez said. “I talked with the owners and, to me, he doesn't want to run long. He runs good because he's a good horse, but for me he wants no part of the long distances. I believe he's going to be OK.”

Gonzalez also entered MCA Racing Stable's Pitching Ari, second by a half-length to Relentless Dancer in the Robert Hilton Memorial Aug. 28 at Charles Town in his most recent start. Pitching Ari put together a three-race win streak over the winter but has gone winless in three starts since returning from the coronavirus break. Angel Cruz rides from Post 8.

Someday Farm's Dreams Untold hails from the same connections as his sire, 2004 Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones, trained by John Servis for Roy and Pat Chapman. In his previous trip to Maryland for the Miracle Wood, Dreams Untold was unruly at the gate and stumbled badly spotting the leader 15 lengths. He recovered to make a bold move into second and then tired to fifth, beaten 11 lengths as the favorite.

“He's a horse I've been very excited about from Day 1,” Parx-based Servis said. “His third start down there at Laurel he just completely lost all chance leaving the gate. Then he kind of rushed up there real quick and just burned out. It was just one of those throwout races.”

The nationwide pause in racing provided Servis an opportunity to give Dreams Untold a chance to recover from the Miracle Wood. He returned with a front-running allowance triumph going six furlongs June 17 at Delaware Park and will return to straight 3-year-olds after back-to-back tries against older horses, a second July 28 and a 2 ¾-length win Sept. 7 at 6 ½ and seven furlongs, respectively, against fellow Pennsylvania-breds.

“I wanted to give him plenty of time off of that race and make sure that he had recuperated. For a young horse like that to have to go through what he went through, mentally I just wanted to get that out of his system,” Servis said. “We've been working with him at the gate and he's been doing much better. His first race back after COVID at Delaware, he ran really good.

“His next race back at Parx actually came up really tough. He got hooked up in a speed duel and it set up for the winner. He ran a good race that day and then came back and won pretty easy, and he's trained really good since then,” he added. “I think it's time. There's not a lot around, especially now that we're getting to the end of the 3-year-old year … so we're going to take a shot.”

Trevor McCarthy has the call on Dreams Untold from Post 7.

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt's Yaupon is undefeated in three starts, all since June 20, capped by a front-running two-length triumph in the six-furlong Amsterdam (G2) Aug. 29 over a muddy Saratoga surface. The son of champion Uncle Mo is one of two Chick Lang contenders trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen along with Phoenix Thoroughbred's Little Menace, winner of the Grand Prairie Derby June 28 at Lone Star.

Also entered are Arkaan, third behind Preakness contender Pneumatic in the Aug. 15 Pegasus at Monmouth Park; Blackberry Wine, a 13-length maiden winner in March making his first start since mid-April; two-time New York-bred stakes winner Captain Bombastic; and Relentless Dancer, last out winner of the Robert Hilton Memorial for trainer Mike Maker.

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